Recipe

Chhole Bhature
[छोले-भटूरे]

Recipe Contributed By: Anupriya Sinha, Pune

 Ingredients

For boiling Chhole:
White chana (Chickpeas) - 250 gm (soaked for 4 hrs min.or overnight)
Onion (sliced) - 1 medium
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 5 cups

For Chhole gravy:
Mustard oil or any oil of your choice - 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 2 medium (grated)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato puree (freshly prepared) - 1 cup
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Chhole Masala/Chana Masala (readymade) - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp or as desired
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste (concentrate) - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Water (for gravy) - as desired
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Green cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Cloves powder - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Fresh Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp (for garnishing)

For Bhature:
Maida - 3 cups
Fine Sooji - 3 tbsp
Sodium Bicarbonate - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Sugar - 1 tsp
Curd (beaten) - 1 and 1/2 cup (approximately)
Any white oil - 1 tbsp for dough + as required for frying

 Method of Preparation

Chhole

1. Boil Chana with all the ingredients, in a pressure cooker, till well done. This means boiling at least for 15 minutes on low heat after first whistle.

2. Remove from heat and let the pressure release on its own.

3. Open the lid and vigourously mix the boiled chana, so that the onion gets mashed up. Keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add asafoetida.

5. Add grated onion and saute till golden brown.

6. Add Ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute.

7. Add tomato puree, coriander-cumin powders, Chhole masala, chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder.

8. Saute till all the moisture is absorbed.

9. Add 2 tbsp water and saute on high heat till water is absorbed once again and oil separates out.

10. Add tamarind paste and sugar, and saute for another minute.

11. Add the boiled chana along with water and mix.

12. Adjust the gravy consistency with desired amount of water. Keep a little extra water at this moment, as some water will evapoate while chhole simmers.

13 Simmer for at least 15 minutes, stirring intermittently.

14. Add ghee, cinnamon, cardamom and clove powders, mix and remove from heat.

15. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot bhature.

Bhature

1. Mix sooji, sodium bicarbonate and salt with maida.

2. Make a well in the centre and pour 1 cup of beaten curd.

3. Add sugar, mix and knead the maida mixture with the curd.

4. Add more curd, if necessary, to get a soft dough.

5. Smear the surface of the dough with 1 tbsp oil, cover with a damp cloth and keep in a warm place for 4-5 hrs or overnight.

6. Knead the dough once again and divide into 9 or 10 equal parts. 1 part should be double the size of dough of a roti.

7. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Roll the bhature, using dry maida, into circles of 5" diameter.

8. Deep fry in hot oil and serve immediately.

 Notes and Tips